


Time

by AnnaOnTheMoon



Series: Flufftober [27]
Category: Star Trek: The Next Generation
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Flufftober, Stargazer era, childhood angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-27
Updated: 2018-10-27
Packaged: 2019-08-08 08:33:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,393
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16426013
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnnaOnTheMoon/pseuds/AnnaOnTheMoon
Summary: Jack has been dead for a few years when Wesley asks Jean-Luc to attend father's day at his school and Jean-Luc and Beverly talk about their future.





	Time

Wesley Crusher slammed the kitchen door as he entered the small kitchen of the modest house Beverly was renting. "Wesley, what have I told you about slamming the door?"  
  
"Sorry, Mom.”  Wesley sat down at the kitchen table and drank the glass of milk Beverly handed him with a frown on his face. “School sucks." Beverly smoothed down his hair and tilted his face upwards to look at her. "You don't mean that. You love your new school. What happened?"  
  
Eight-year-old Wesley scrunched up his face and pulled away. "It's Bring Your Dad To School Day next week, but I don't have a dad!!" Beverly frowned. "I'm sorry, baby." She dropped a kiss on the top of his head. "You can stay home that day."   
  
"It's not fair! Rashid said his dad was going to teach him how to ride a bike. Dad never taught me and now who’s going to? What about when I have to start shaving? Who’s going to teach me then?  Or show me how to pilot a shuttle?” Wesley wailed at his mother.  Beverly, for her part, was speechless and also amused that her son was already thinking about things like shaving. “I suppose I can teach you all those things.  Or you could ask Jean-Luc.”

“Uncle Jean?” Wesley’s face brightened.  “Would he come to my school for Bring Your Dad To School Day?”

“Well, I suppose we can ask him.  If Admiral Quinn hasn’t sent him anywhere.  You also could ask Walker for help.” Wesley frowned. He liked his Uncle Walker, but he wasn’t Uncle Jean.  Uncle Jean was his best friend.

“No...I want Uncle Jean to come!”  Beverly smiled.  Jean-Luc, despite his claim to not like children, seemed to have wormed his way into her son’s heart, and vice versa.  “Why don’t we call him tonight after dinner and we can ask him.  I’m sure he’ll help you with your bike, but remember, he might not even be on Earth next week. And for goodness sake don’t overload him with lots of questions.  You can ask him about shaving and piloting a shuttle when you’re older, alright?”  Wesley frowned. “I hope he will be.”

###

“Jean-Luc,”  Beverly glanced at the man on the monitor, still handsome as ever.  Her heart did a little flutter when he replied.  “ _Beverly! So good to hear from you. How are you? How’s Wes?  Is Kansas City everything you thought it would be?”_ She laughed.

“It’s boring, that’s for sure.  The hospital isn’t as busy as Starfleet Med or the base was, but I think it’s what I need right now. Maybe someday I can rejoin Starfleet.  Wesley is...”  she trailed off and frowned.  “He’s feeling the loss of his father.  He wants to ask you to do a few things for him...with him...things that Jack should have done.”

“ _Anything You know that.”_

“You say that now, but he has a laundry list of things he wants you to do with him.”  Beverly grinned.  “I told him not to overwhelm you right now, but to ask you for just a few things now....and I thought I would warn you before I get him to ask so you can prepare your answer if you need to turn him down.”  Jean-Luc gave her a puzzled look, but indicated for her to continue. “I think the most urgent request is he wants you to teach him how to ride a bike.  Apparently, one of his new friends said his father was teaching him...”

 _“I understand. And, I’d be delighted to help Wes.  I was going to talk to you about planning a visit soon anyway. I miss you. When’s a good time?”_ Beverly smiled at the image on her screen. She missed Jean-Luc, too. 

“About that.  Next week there is an event at Wesley’s school.  ‘Bring Your Dad to School Day’.”  Jean-Luc frowned. _“Oh, poor Wes.  Is he alright?”_

“He wants to ask you if you’ll come for the event.”  Jean-Luc faltered. “ _Ah....well....”_

“You don’t have to.  Just tell him you’re busy.  I already told him you might be.” 

_“I’m not, actually.  I’m between assignments from Quinn right now.  I just....I wouldn’t want anyone to get the impression that I was...”_

“Yes?”

_“Beverly.  You know what I mean.  I visit you, I stay in your home, and now I’ll attend a father’s event at Wesley’s school?  Won’t people start to talk again?  Isn’t that one of the reasons you left Starfleet? People were talking about our relationship?”_

“Starfleet, yes. But no one knows me or my history here.  The problem with Starfleet....everyone knew about Jack.  Everyone knew you. Everyone knew about your friendship with Jack and our relationship.  I couldn’t handle all the rumours and the knowing looks. Do you know someone actually asked me if I slept with you so Jack could get that promotion he got a few months before he died?”  Jean-Luc reached a finger out and Beverly could tell he was tracing her face on the monitor.  _“I’m so sorry for all of that.”_

“Couldn’t be helped. Part of dating the illustrious Captain Picard, I suppose.”  He sighed. “ _I know, but I still wish I could have prevented it. Hopefully, the rumours will die down eventually and you can return.”_

“The beauty of being a doctor is I can practice anywhere.”

 _“Granted, but I’m sure it’s a bit more challenging in Fleet.”_ She rolled her eyes. “You could say that.  The most excitement I had this past month was a Bolian patient.  No one else knew how to treat him....Apparently, they don’t cover more than the basics in exobiology at regular med school.”  He grinned. “ _That’s my girl.  So, how do you feel if I go to  father’s day at Wesley’s school?”_

She smiled. “I think it would be a good thing for Wesley to be able to participate.  He calls you uncle, so it’s not like people would think you were his father.”

_“Honestly, Beverly, would it be so bad if he did call me his father?  I love you.”_

“I love you too.  But it’s too soon.  I need more time.”  Jean-Luc smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes.  Beverly’s husband  had been dead for over three years, but Beverly still wasn’t ready for a bigger commitment to him despite their two and a half years of dating.  On some level, he understood, but it still frustrated him that he seemed to only be her “fancy man” as his mother would have called it.  He wanted nothing more than for her to agree to marry him. _“I understand. So what day is this father’s thing?”_

“Next Thursday. Is that enough notice?”  He laughed. “ _Beverly, it’s Tuesday.  It’s over a week away and a shuttle from where we are will only take me a day or two.  Yes, it’s plenty of time.  Why don’t  I come on Friday and stay until the following Sunday?  We can have a week and a bit together and I can start teaching Wes how to ride his bike.”_ She grinned. “Perfect. I’ll get Wesley so he can ask you.” 

###

On Thursday, Wesley ran into his mother’s room and jumped onto the bed, jostling the couple.  “Uncle Jean! It’s Thursday!” 

“So it is. What time do I need to be at school?” 

“There’s an assembly at ten, and then you get to talk to my class about your job and then we have lunch.” 

“And what time is it now?”

“I dunno.”  Beverly grumbled and rolled over in the bed to peer over Jean-Luc’s shoulder and squinted at the clock on the bedside table. “Wesley, it’s five in the morning.  I don’t wake you up until seven thirty. My alarm doesn’t even go off for another hour and a half.  Go back to bed.” 

“But—“

“Go. You’ll be too tired to enjoy yourself today if you don’t get more sleep.”  Wesley frowned. “Fine.” He stomped back to his bedroom and Jean-Luc rolled over to face Beverly and tried to conceal his laughter. “That boy...”

“...will be the death of me.”  Beverly lazily kissed Jean-Luc. “I need more sleep.  Or coffee. But probably sleep.”  Jean-Luc grinned and kissed her back slowly and deeply, rolling on top of her.  “Since we’re awake, we could....?” 

Beverly lifted her arms to circle him and dropped them in defeat.  “Mmph.  Too tired.” 

“I’ll do all the work....”

“That keen, eh?” 

“Well, I haven’t seen you in four months....”  He pushed the strap of her nightgown to one side and kissed her shoulder. “I’ve missed you.” 

“I’ve missed you too.”

###

“Wesley, would you like to introduce your father to the class?”

“He’s not my Dad.  He’s my Uncle.  Well, he’s not _really_ my uncle, but he was my Dad’s best friend and now he’s mine.  Dad died when I was little.”  The teacher gave a sympathetic smile to Wesley. “I’m sorry, Wesley. So who is your dad’s friend? Sorry, your best friend.” 

“Uncle Jean.”  The teacher took in the man standing slightly behind Wesley with a hand on his shoulder. He was wearing a Starfleet uniform with captain’s pips, and if she did say so herself, he was rather good looking.  “Hello, Captain Jean....?  Thank you for joining us today. Could you tell us about what you do?”  Jean-Luc grinned at Wesley’s teacher. 

“It’s Jean-Luc, actually.  Wesley...well, when he was little we told him to call me Uncle Jean to make it easier to say.”  The teacher laughed. “But I’m sure you don’t go by Captain Jean-Luc, do you?”

“No.  My name is Captain Picard.”  The teacher nodded and addressed her classroom. “Children,  do any of you have a family member serving in Starfleet?”  Hands on about half the students went up.  “My Uncle Greg is an admiral!”  Jean-Luc grinned at the boy. “Admiral Quinn?”  He nodded. “I used to serve under him when he was a Captain and I was an Ensign.  In fact, I currently still serve under him as one of his captains.” 

Jean-Luc took questions from the children for about a half hour before their teacher proclaimed it time to move on to the next father.  When Jean-Luc sat back down, Wesley sat in his lap, something the boy hadn’t done for ages.  Wesley rested his head on Jean-Luc’s shoulder. “Uncle Jean,” he whispered. “Thank you for coming to school with me.  Do you think you might be my dad one day?”  Jean-Luc glanced around, hoping none of the other adults heard the question.  “Wes...we’ll talk about this later, alright?” 

“Ok.” 

Jean-Luc was walking Wesley home from school when Wesley asked him again. “Will you be my dad?” 

“Wesley, you have a father.”  Wesley frowned. “Yeah, but he’s dead. You’re not.  And you sleep in Mom’s bed like Dad did, so why can’t you be my dad?”  Jean-Luc coloured. “Ah, Wes...your mother and I...well we love each other, but I don’t want to replace your dad in either of your lives.  Jack was my best friend, and he loved you very much.” 

“No he didn’t.” Jean-Luc sighed. “He did.  His death was an accident.  I think if he had known he was going to die, he wouldn’t have gone out on the spacewalk.”

“Yeah, but then you might have died.”

“Perhaps, son. Perhaps.”  Wesley contemplated his uncle’s words for a minute. “You should marry my mom.” 

“ _Wesley.”_

“You should! Then I can call you Dad and I’ll have a dad again and Mom will be happy instead of crying when you have to leave.”  Jean-Luc stopped walking.  “Your mother cries when I leave?”

“Uh-huh.”

“I...I didn’t know,” Jean-Luc spoke softly, then shook his head. “Look, Wes.  All I can tell you is that if your mother and I decide to get married, you’ll be the first to know.”

“Ok.  Can you help me with my bike today?” 

“Do you have any homework?” Wesley shrugged. “A little, but it’s easy.”

“Well, then you should be able to do it when we get home.  If you finish your homework before dinner, we’ll go out on your bike.”

“Thanks, Uncle Jean!”

###

Jean-Luc brought up the subject of marriage with Beverly again that night after they went to bed and told her what Wesley had said.  She laughed. “Oh, if it were so simple. Jean-Luc,  I promise you, when I’m ready I will let you know.” 

“Will you wear my ring?”  Beverly rolled her eyes. “If I wear your ring, it looks like I said yes.  I haven’t said yes.”

“No, but you said when you’re ready...doesn’t that mean yes?”  Beverly smacked his chest. “No, it doesn’t. It means that I will eventually, most likely, say yes.” 

“Oh,”  his face fell.  “But do you want to see the ring?  Maybe try it on? Make sure it will fit?”  Beverly rolled her eyes again. “If it will make you feel better.” 

Jean-Luc grinned and went over to his bag in the corner of her bedroom. He retrieved the ring and knelt down next to her side of the bed. “Jean-Luc. No. Get up,”  Beverly shook her head with a laugh.  “Stop trying to force a proposal.”  He sheepishly grinned back.

“Sorry. “  He sat on the bed next to her and handed her the ring instead.  She turned it over in her hands. “I love it. It’s perfect.”

“It was my mother’s.  I managed to get it from Robert for you.”  Beverly’s eyes bulged. Jean-Luc and his brother hadn’t spoken in over ten years, not since just after their father had passed away.  She was touched that Jean-Luc would have spoken to him just to get the ring.  Beverly placed it on her finger and admired her hand. Jean-Luc took her hand in his and kissed her palm. “Seems to fit.  Do you want to wear it?” 

Beverly laughed. “Incorrigible, you are.”  She studied her hand and got out of bed. “Where are you going?” 

“You’ll see.”  She sorted through her jewellery box and pulled out an empty chain.  She threaded the ring onto the chain and put it around her neck. “There.  See? I’m wearing your ring.” 

He smirked.  “Are we engaged?”

“Not yet.  I’ll let you know when I’m ready to move this to my finger.”  He knelt on the bed and pulled her towards him and kissed her. “We have all the time in the world.”


End file.
